Quiz: Howstuffworks

Can You Answer These Questions From an EMT Exam?

Robin Tyler

Image: Tammy Hanratty / Corbis / VCG / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Every second around the world, Emergency Medical Technicians are at work helping to save lives. It might be someone injured in a car accident, or perhaps a child showing adverse allergic reactions to a bee sting. No matter the situation, these healthcare professionals are trained to react to anything thrown at them.

Emergency Medical Technicians are the medical professionals on the frontline. Even more so than doctors, to be honest. It is their job to help stabilize and transport patients to the hospital where further medical assistance can be given. And it certainly is a tough job filled with long hours and plenty of emotional situations.

But thanks to their training, Emergency Medical Technicians know how to handle each and every situation. They access what is needed and make split-second decisions, acting to ensure each and every patient gets the best treatment in whatever situation they find themselves in.

Do you think you would be able to handle what Emergency Medical Technicians deal with on a daily basis? Well, a good way to find out is to take this quiz and see how you fare answering questions from an EMT exam! Good luck, it is sure to get your heart rate up!

In human anatomy, what is the tube that takes food into the stomach?

Esophagus

Trachea

Small intestine

Large intestine

The esophagus connects the throat with the stomach. It forms part of the alimentary canal and is a tube consisting of muscle and filled with mucous membrane.

Which of these below is the normal respiration rate for an adult?

10 breaths a minute

12 to 20 breaths a minute

25 to 30 breaths a minute

30 to 40 breaths per minute

A normal adult, who has been sitting at rest, will breathe around 12 to 20 breaths a minute. Paramedics will check a patient's breathing and this can help them work out if the person is in distress or not, especially with no visible injuries.

During the assessment of an injured patient, which is the most important of these below?

Fill in patient paperwork

Make sure the patient is warm

Keep the airway open

Make sure the patient has water

While all the other tasks might be relevant at some point, an open airway is the most important thing while assessing a patient. All the other tasks can wait till after the assessment has finished.

From the options below, which best describes the thigh bone?

Patella

Humerus

Fibia

Femur

The bone in the thigh is known as the femur. Not only is the femur the longest bone in the human body, running from the hip joint to the knee, it is also the strongest.

Which bone helps to form the cheek?

Clavicle

Ulna

Zygoma

Sacrum

While the mandible bone is used to describe the lower jaw, the cheekbone area is called the zygoma. And the upper jaw? Well, that is called the maxilla.

A patient with sickle cell anemia will experience which of these below?

Priapism

Bleeding from the mouth

A temperature

None of the above

While sickle cell anemia can cause painful joints as well as abdominal pains, it has another implication for men. It can cause a terribly painful erection!

In the right lower quadrant, which organ from the options below, will you find?

Heart

Spleen

Appendix

Gallbladder

The good old appendix, yes, that is what you will find in the right lower quadrant. This organ has a tendency to burst from time to time, but luckily, it usually lets someone know beforehand by putting them through excruciating pain!

If a patient is standing face forward, with their arms at their side and their palms forward, they are in the ___________ position?

Distal

Anatomical

Medial

None of the above

A person standing upright with their arms by their sides and palms facing forward is said to be in the anatomical position. This is used to describe a patient's body.

Who has more ribs, a man or woman?

Man

Woman

Neither, they have the same.

Although the biblical story tells us that God fashioned Eve from the rib of Adam, men and women have the same number of ribs. And how many are there? Twelve pairs to make 24.

True or false? HIV can be transmitted by inhalation and thus a mask is required when treating a patient.

True

False

NO! HIV cannot be transmitted through inhalation at all. In a medical situation, it would only be transmitted through blood, for example a needle stick injury.

Of a patient is showing signs of nasal flaring and accessory muscles which of these would you suspect?

Stroke

Respiratory problems

Appendicitis

None of the above

Nasal flaring is a clue that a patient is in respiratory distress but its the use of accessory muscles that will confirm their problem. These are generally only used by the body following exercise or during respiratory failure.

Where are the coronary arteries located?

Eyes

Feet

Heart

Brain

The coronary arteries are a major set of arteries found in the heart. Two main arteries form the coronary artery group. They are simply called the left coronary and right coronary artery. When these arteries become blocked, a patient can experience angina or even have a heart attack.

A baby moves through the opening of the uterus when it is delivered. What is opening called?

Cervix

Vulva

Utero

None of the above

Delivering a baby is something EMT's have to deal with from time to time. The baby will pass through the opening of the uterus, called the cervix, which dilates enough to let the infant pass into the birth canal.

Can you name the connection, created surgically, that connects an artery and a vein?

Needle

Blood donation

Shunt

Fistula

When doctor connect an artery to a vein, it is called a fistula. This is done without any medical devices or tubing between the artery and the vein. These are often used for patients undergoing hemodialysis.

From the options below, which heart chamber is tasked with sending de-oxygenated blood to the lungs?

Left atrium

Right ventricle

Right atrium

Left ventricle

All four of these are important in sending blood filled with oxygen around the lungs and then on its return, sending it to the lungs to be filled with oxygen once again. While the left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood around the body, the right ventricle receives the de-oxygenated blood back to the lungs.

When someone's immune systems reacts with an exaggerated response to something entering their body, it is called an ____________?

Overdose

Overreaction

Anaphylactic reaction

None of the above

Anaphylactic reactions can be very severe and often are a matter of life or death. A massive allergic reaction, they can be caused by an insect sting, food or even medication.

From the answers below, choose the one that best describes a communicable disease.

It is fatal.

Spread between people

Cannot be spread

None of the above

Communicable diseases, although some can be fatal, are diseases that are spread among people in different ways. It could be through the air, for example, if a tuberculosis patient sneezes or coughs, or in blood, as in the case of HIV.

Can you name the bone in the upper arm?

Femur

Humerus

Patella

Fibula

The bone in the upper arm is known as the humerus. It runs from the shoulder to the elbow. The humerus connects the scapular with the two bones in the lower arm, the radius and ulna.

In anatomy, what does anterior refer to?

Back

Front

Middle

Side

In anatomy, the word anterior mean front. So for example, an athlete who has injured an anterior cruciate ligament in their ankle has damaged the ligament at the front of the ankle. When referring to the ligaments at the back of the ankle, one would say posterior.

Which of these organs is the "detoxifier" of the human body?

Heart

Lungs

Kidneys

Liver

Your liver has many functions including helping to detoxify your body, it does this by filtering anything we consume in whole or liquid form. It also turns sugar into glycogen and breaks down fats that we eat. Overall, the liver has over 500 different functions.

Which part of the brain controls balance and coordination?

Cerebellum

Medulla

Cerebrum

Brainstem

The cerebellum lies at the back of the brain and handles all our balance and co-ordination. This is the largest part of our brain. Interestingly, cerebellum is Latin for "little brain".

True or false? Patients with type 1 diabetes have to inject insulin each day.

True

False

True! Because their pancreas does not produce insulin, a type 1 diabetic must inject themselves ever day. This is usually done around meal times to help keep their blood sugar at stable levels. There are now insulin pumps which may alleviate the need for daily needles.

Which of these is a part of the human brain?

Lymph node

Motor cortex

Coronary artery

None of the above

The motor cortex is found near the top of our brains and stretches from ear to ear across the brain. Together with the cerebellum, it helps control movement.

When a patient is bleeding, what is the first step to control that bleeding?

Tournique

Direct pressure on the wound

Elevate the patient.

None of the above

When an EMT comes across a patient with a severe bleeding wound, the first thing to do is to apply direct pressure to the wound. This can help close up the wound (if small enough) and also give the blood chance to begin the clotting process.

Can a bee sting lead to anaphylactic shock?

Yes

No

A patient experiencing anaphylactic shock is a very serious situation. And yes, a bee sting can lead to this condition, because some patients are allergic to bee stings.

A kneecap is also known by which name below?

Patella

Tabula

Fibula

Sternum

A kneecap is also known as a patella. it is connected to the upper and lower leg by the means of tendons, namely the patellar and the quadriceps tendon. The patella protects the knee joint.

What is the ''compression to breaths'' ratio for an adult undergoing CPR as recommended by the American Heart Association?

5:1

100:1

30:2

60:1

The American Heart Association instituted new CPR guidelines in 2016. In it, they recommend a 30:2 ratio of compression to breaths for two EMTs while treating an adult patient.

What is considered to be the correct depth of compression when treating an adult patient?

Between 2 and 2.4 inches

1 inch

5 inches

None of the above

When applying compression to the chest of an adult, you should compress the chest around 2 to 2.4 inches. This is around 5 to 6 centimeters. For a child, compression should be a third of their chest size.

Which of these bones is also known as the collar bone?

Rib

Clavicle

Scapula

Pubis

The medical name for the collar bone is the clavicle. It connects the shoulder blade with the sternum or breast bone. This is the longest horizontal bone in the human body.

When lifting a patient, should you bend at the waist to pick the stretcher up?

Yes

No

No, never do this. It could lead to a back injury. Rather bend your knees to lower yourself, keeping your back straight, and lift by straightening your legs again.

From the options below, name part of the human heart.

Amygdala

Thalamus

Aorta

Hippocampus

Found in the heart, the aorta is the biggest artery found in the human body. Its main function is to transport blood that has oxygen in it through the body.

True or false? You can get tuberculosis by inhaling the germ that causes it.

True

False

When dealing with patients who have tuberculosis it is best to always wear a mask. This is because tuberculosis can be spread if you inhale the germ. Precaution is always the best option, although the disease is difficult to catch despite the fact that it is spread through the air.

Can you tell us what the term hypoperfusion refers to?

Decreased blood flow through the body

A hot patient

A cold patient

None of the above

If a patient is suffering hypoperfusion, blood has slowed down flowing through their body and through vital organs. It can lead to a state of shock in the patient.

Can you tell us which of the options below is part of the lungs?

Parietal lobes

Bronchi

Somatosensory cortex

Limbic system

The bronchi are connected to each lung. When we breathe, the air comes down the trachea and then passes into each bronchi which direct it toward the lungs. They form part of the pulmonary system.

Which of these is a bone in the lower arm?

Scapular

Radius

Femur

None of the above

Also called the radial bone, the radius, along with the ulna, make up the two-bone structure of the forearm. It is slightly shorter than the ulna and has a prism shape.

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